Acharya Prashant addresses the defensiveness people exhibit when confronted about animal cruelty in meat and dairy consumption. He explains that it is a tricky affair to introduce this topic without making the person feel like a criminal, so one must be sensitive. He notes that awareness about this issue is low, and many people, having never been educated on the matter, deserve the benefit of the doubt. He cautions against a "holier-than-thou" attitude, which can be counterproductive. For those from traditional meat-eating or Vaishnav families, where milk products are a staple, the idea of cruelty in their food is an alien and disturbing concept. Therefore, the issue must be brought out gently. While the knowledge of animal suffering makes one want to rush to help, he advises to "rush gently," as the objective is to help the animals, not to shame the person, which could lead to defiance. Acharya Prashant confirms that the increased consumption of animal products is symptomatic of a wider spiritual crisis. He states that the very philosophy of modern life, which posits individual happiness as the ultimate purpose, has gone wrong. This consumerist philosophy, which encourages one to live for personal pleasure, is a violent one. It is not taught in a classroom but is subtly embedded in the air through media, marketing, and social structures, leading to a subliminal indoctrination. This, he asserts, is the spiritual crisis. True spirituality, in contrast, is about self-knowledge—realizing that one is not the person they appear to be and therefore not giving importance to personal desires. The modern philosophy of personal gratification is at odds with this spiritual understanding. He elaborates that the current systems of economics, politics, society, and education are built on this consumerist philosophy. Consequently, true self-knowledge, which threatens these systems, is systematically obstructed. Vested interests will not allow real spirituality to prosper. Instead, a fake, fashionable version of spirituality is created and promoted to maintain the status quo. He warns that anyone who promotes real self-knowledge will find themselves in the crosshairs, watched, and targeted by these systems. The core of spirituality is realizing who you are, which leads to the understanding that you are not your personal desires. The modern world, however, is built on fulfilling these very desires, which are not even your own but are imposed by bodily tendencies and social conditioning.
